I am tremendously excited that we are restarting Bible classes today! It has been fourteen months since our classrooms were occupied by babies, children, teenagers and adults. Our nursery workers are ready for our babies. Lori Gallaher and her team are ready for our children. Dakota Thornton is ready for our teens. Dan Nix is ready for our adults.
In the coming weeks and months, we fully expect Bible class numbers to steadily increase as more people are vaccinated and feel comfortable being with us in person. This means we will need more class offerings, which means that we will need more teachers. At Mandarin, we don’t want those who volunteer to teach to be expected to fill that role until they burn out. In fact, ideally, we like for our adult teachers to teach for no longer than a quarter at a time. But the only way we can keep our teachers fresh and energized is by having a deep pool of volunteers.
In the coming weeks and months, there will be opportunities for training to teach or assist with an adult class. When that opportunity arises, would you please consider saying ‘yes?’ The training may reveal that you were wired for teaching all along, you just didn’t know it.
In the coming weeks and months, there will be opportunities to apprentice with a teacher in our children’s ministry. When that opportunity arises, would you please consider saying, ‘yes?’ The opportunity to partner with one of our existing gifted teachers may reveal that you are wired for teaching as well.
I can tell you from experience that there are few joys that compare with seeing Scripture come to life in the hearts of others because God used you as His tool to teach the Gospel. Be ready to say, ‘yes!’.
-Mike Johnson